On a foggy, dark winter night, two watchmen see a ghost walking near the Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Soon after, the scholar Horatio also sees some glimpses of the ghost there. The ghost seems to be the spirit of the deceased King Hamlet. The new king is Claudius, brother of the deceased king, who has inherited the king’s property. Horatio and the watchmen decide to bring Prince Hamlet, the son of the deceased king, to see the ghost. As Prince Hamlet arrives, the ghost speaks to him.
It reveals that it is his father’s spirit and was killed by Claudius, the king. The spirit orders Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius. Then, the ghost disappears in the dark fog. Prince Hamlet promises to avenge his father’s death. He changes his behavior and acts like a madman. The King and the Queen worry about Hamlet’s unconventional behavior, and they attempt to discover the reason behind the prince’s madness. Claudius and Gertrude invite Hamlet’s friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to assess Hamlet’s behavior.
Meanwhile, Polonius suggests that Hamlet may be mad because the prince loves his daughter, Ophelia. Claudius decides to spy on Hamlet when he meets the girl, Ophelia. When Hamlet meets Ophelia, his behavior does not seem to be changed. Hamlet behaves as if he does not love Ophelia. He orders her to enter a nunnery, announcing that he wishes to ban marriages.
A group of actors comes to Elsinore, and Hamlet has an idea to assess his uncle’s behavior and test his guilt. He secretly requests the actors to perform a scene as his father has been murdered. Hamlet imagines if his uncle, the Claudius, is guilty; he will surely react. As the scene of murder arrives in the theater, Claudius feels suffocation and leaves the theater.
Hamlet wants to prove that Claudius is his father’s murderer. Now, Hamlet and Horatio agree that Claudius is the murderer of the king. Soon after, Hamlet goes to kill Cludius, but he finds him praying. Hamlet believes that if he kills his uncle in prayer, his soul will go to heaven. Therefore, Hamlet considers this an adequate revenge. He plants to frighten Claudius and frequently reminds him of the incident. The king orders that Hamlet be sent to England at the moment.
Hamlet goes to meet his mother, the Queen Gertrude. In Queen’s bedroom, Polonius was hidden as a type. Hearing the noise of the tapestry, Hamlet thought that the king was hidden behind the tapestry. Hamlet draws his sword and pierces the cloth, killing Polonius unintentionally. Because of this crime, the king and the queen immediately sent the prince to England. But Claudius’ plan for Hamlet involved more than exile; he also gave Rosencrantz and Guildenstern an order from the King of England to execute Hamlet.
Ophelia was so devastated by her father’s death that she died in the river. Polonius’ son Laertes, who was still in France, returned to Denmark in anger. Claudius convinced him that Hamlet was responsible for the deaths of his father and sister. When Horatio and the king received a letter from Hamlet stating that the prince had returned to Denmark after being attacked by pirates on his way to England, Claudius came up with a plan to take advantage of Laertes’ offer to avenge Hamlet’s death.
Laertes would engage Hamlet in a holy duel, but Claudius would poison Laertes’ sword so that if it bled, Hamlet would die. As a backup plan, the King decides to poison the goblet he will give Hamlet to drink if he receives the first or second blow in the play. When Hamlet returns to the vicinity of Elsinore, Ophelia’s funeral is being held. Disappointed, he confronts Laertes and tells him that he has always loved Ophelia. Back at the castle, he tells Horatio that he believes one should be prepared to die, as death can happen at any time. A fool named Osric arrives on Claudius’ orders to arrange a duel between Hamlet and Laertes.
A fierce sword fight begins. Hamlet attacks the first blow but refuses to drink the cup offered by the king. Instead, Gertrude drinks it and dies quickly as there was poison in the cup. Laertes wounds Hamlet, but Hamlet does not die immediately. Laertes is first wounded by his own sword and dies from the poison of the sword after revealing to Hamlet that Claudius was responsible for the queen’s death. Hamlet attacks Claudius with a poisoned sword and forces him to drink the remaining poison. Claudius dies, and Hamlet dies immediately after taking his revenge.
Conclusion
Meanwhile, a Norwegian prince named Fortinbras, who had previously marched with his army to Denmark and attacked Poland in the drama, arrives with the English ambassador and announces the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Eun. Fortinbras is shocked by the horrific sight of the entire royal family lying dead on the ground. He begins to hold power in the kingdom. Horatio fulfills Hamlet’s last request and tells him Hamlet’s sad story. Fortinbras orders Hamlet to be captured, as befits a fallen soldier.